


Command

by Cheshire_Hearts



Series: Prowl Week 2020 [5]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Prowl Week 2020, Prowl needs a hug, at the end at least
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:28:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23817688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheshire_Hearts/pseuds/Cheshire_Hearts
Summary: Prowl has to make some hard command choices during a battle on Earth. In the aftermath, he tries to find a quiet place to decompress and deal with everything. He thinks he’s found it in one of the caverns hidden above the Ark, but it turns out he’s not the only one trying to find some solitude away from the rest of the Autobots.
Relationships: Prowl/Swoop
Series: Prowl Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1709890
Comments: 2
Kudos: 43
Collections: Prowl Week





	Command

**Author's Note:**

> Day 5 of Prowl Week :3 The prompt was Command.

Guilt dragged at Prowl, weighing him down further than it ever had before. He avoided the medbay and his office, slipping through the Ark’s darkened hallways. He needed to find somewhere quiet where no one would look for him. Every injured Autobot had been his fault, Jazz’s extensive injuries were all Prowl’s fault, and the destroyed power plant had also been his fault. 

There really hadn’t been any better options. He’d been backed into a corner by Optimus already deciding the best course of action before consulting his Tactician or his Officers. No one would blame Optimus though; not even if he confessed to putting everyone in that situation. They’d all apologize, say it wasn’t his fault, that he’d been doing what he thought was right. And now Prowl had to deal with the fallout; with all the injured mechs and the fact that Jazz might not make it, that it would take weeks for Grimlock and Slag to recover.  
Prowl slipped through one of the back entrances, avoiding as many cameras as he could. He knew Red Alert wasn’t likely to sell him out, but the Security Director was even jumpier now than he usually was. Prowl couldn’t really blame him. 

The mountain air was cool against his plating. He took a deep in-vent to calm his nerves, letting the air help cool his stressed systems. He knew there was a small cave somewhere on this side of the mountain, away from all the entrances and in a secluded location facing the East. Prowl made his way around a rockslide, squeezed between a cluster of trees, and slid down a slight incline before finding the pathway up the side of the mountain. The climb turned out to be easier than he expected it to be, with a wide ledge and plenty of space for him to comfortably climb up. 

Night had fallen by the time he reached the ledge and the shallow cave; actually, it was more of an indent into the rockface than anything else. Prowl froze a few feet from the opening in shock. Apparently, he hadn’t been the only one looking for a spot to hide away from the rest of the Autobots. Swoop sat hunched over, arms locked tightly around his legs and face buried into the crook of his elbow.

Prowl almost turned right around as soon as his optics landed on Swoop. The likelihood Swoop has seen him was low, but it would rise with every second Prowl stood there staring. Prowl couldn’t understand why the Dinobot was here instead of in the medbay, or, better yet, why he wasn’t with his other siblings.

“Me Swoop can feel you Prowl staring. You Prowl’s optics going to burn hole in me Swoop if not stop soon.” Swoop said, not moving from his spot.

Prowl felt heat rise in his cheeks. He hadn’t meant to stare. Plus, all of his calculations stated Swoop shouldn’t have noticed him for another few seconds, at least. “I didn’t mean to stare. I apologize. I’ll just be going then.”

Prowl collected himself, there had to be other places he could hide out in until tomorrow morning.

“You Prowl no have to leave if not want to.” Swoop said, looking up at Prowl. His voice was harsh and if Prowl wasn’t mistaken, there were tracks on his cheeks that looked suspiciously like dried cleansing fluid.

“I was just coming out here to get away for a bit.” Swoop nodded like he understood. Maybe he did, Prowl realized. Two of his siblings had been seriously injured, all because of a call Prowl made. Guilt built up again, threatening to choke him. 

Swoop sat up a bit, optics staring intently at Prowl. He fought the urge to fidget, to pick at the paint on his wrists.

“I’m sorry, about your brothers. Their injuries are my fault,” Prowl blurted.

Swoop cocked his helm to the side. The red crest on his helm exaggerating the movement. “How Him Grimlock and him Slag’s injuries you Prowl's fault? You Prowl not hurt them. Them get hurt protecting them squishies.”

Prowl opened his mouth and then snapped it shut. That might be true, but they wouldn’t have been in that situation if not for him. “True, but it was my decision to send them there and it was my order that put them both, put all of you, in danger and they paid for it.”

Swoop kept looking at him. A small sniffle escaped him and he wiped at his optics briefly, looking up at Prowl again when he was done. “That not you Prowl’s fault. Him Optimus Prime tell us Autobots to go fight at power plant. Him Optimus not plan anything, not listen to you Prowl and him Jazz.”

Prowl could only stare. Swoop was right. Prowl gave him a calculating look, realizing there was much more to this Dinobot than he had originally thought. Perhaps there was more to the rest of the Dinobots as well. Prowl would have to look into that, but later. The aches throughout his frame started coming back, from his leg struts up to the scorch mark on his left doorwing.

“May I sit?” He asked.

Swoop smiled and shuffled over a bit. “Yes, you Prowl can sit with me Swoop.”

Prowl smiled back and moved to sit down next to the Dinobot. They sat quietly for a while, both absorbed in their thoughts. 

With a steadying in-vent, Prowl turned toward Swoop. “With all the injuries sustained in the fighting, I can’t see why you are up here and not helping in the medbay. Or, at the very least, why you are not with your siblings.”

Swoop sighed heavily, wrapping his arms back around his legs. “Mama Ratchet kicked me Swoop out. Said me Swoop too distracted, too upset about him Grimlock and him Slag to focus on work. Mama Ratchet wouldn’t let me Swoop stay. Him Snarl and him Sludge got mad at me Swoop for worrying, kicked me Swoop out of Dinobot cave.”

Prowl frowned. While he understood Ratchet’s reasoning he thought the CMO was a bit out of line. There wasn’t much of a reason to kick Swoop completely out of the medbay, unless he’d been in the way or distracting Ratchet and anyone else working. He could also understand Swoop’s siblings not wanting him around if the Dinobot medic had been worked up over a number of things. It was probably too much stress for them all to handle without Grimlock around.

“That wasn’t very kind of Snarl and Sludge. Ratchet likely had his reasons, even if it hurts to be kicked out of the medbay and told not to do your job.”

“Just like it hard for you Prowl to always be ignored by him Optimus in fights?” Swoop asked quietly.

Prowl flinched slightly. He met Swoop’s knowing optics and let out a slight huff. He mimicked Swoop’s posture, resting his chin on his knees. “Yes.”

He wasn’t sure if Swoop heard his whispered confession, but it didn’t matter. Doubt and guilt warred within him. A gentle servo on his shoulder pulled him out of his downward spiral. Swoop’s strange field reached out to his, open and understanding and full of comfort. Prowl swallowed the lump growing in his throat and leaned into the touch.

“You Prowl good commander. You Prowl take care of us Autobots, make sure we all come back alive.” 

Prowl blinked back the cleanser fluid that wanted to leak out of his optics. He took a shuddering in-vent and slowly released it. Swoop gave him a gentle smile in response; his servo warm against Prowl’s shoulder pauldron.

“Thank you.”

Swoop’s smile grew warmer. “Will you Prowl let me Swoop fix your doorwing?”   
Prowl nodded and turned to give Swoop access to his damaged wing. He relaxed at the gentle, careful touches, letting the cool night air wash over himself and enjoying the view. When Swoop finished he moved back to sitting next to Prowl and watching the evening sky. At some point one of them shuffled closer and, somehow, they ended up leaning against each other’s shoulder. They stayed leaning against each other until after the sun had risen above the horizon.


End file.
